Pretty Little Liars Review: Revelations

Just to be clear, I thought this week's episode had a lot of really great components. There were interesting character reveals, emotional moments and great turning points in the narrative of the show. Granted, we didn't get a lot of progress on the central mysteries, but the hour helped set up the trajectory of the rest of Pretty Little Liars Season 3.

Building up the direction of the newest plot revelations can sometimes be a tiresome chore for this series, and it leads to a lot of boring, going-nowhere episodes. But not this time.

HOWEVER, I'm having a lot of trouble understanding how these girls can still make such stupid decisions. It's borderline embarrassing. Most of the time, I can suspend my disbelief when the ladies do something reckless and dumb, even though they should know better by now. But they should know better by now.

How many death threats/attempts and crazy situations do they need to be involved in before they make better decisions? Aria runs away from Meredith and has maybe a few seconds lead on her pursuer. She stops to make phone call, and when it doesn't work, she continues to stand there...why?!? Hanna (who frequently makes bad decisions) and Emily come to check on Aria because they are suspicious of Meredith. Then they follow Meredith down to the basement and then let her get behind them as they walk down the basement steps. WHAT?!?

It's frustrating because it just seems like sloppy writing for those scenes. These contrived attempts to drum up suspense drive me crazy because I'd like to think the liars are a little smarter since embarking on this A-game. Now that that's out of the way: on to the episode!

Poor, poor Spencer. We knew she was going to find out someday, but did it have to be on their anniversary? Her attempt to make a surprise dinner for her boyfriend really backfired when she discovered proof that he was connected to Mona. Her suspicious were confirmed when Toby showed up to her house in the A-hoodie to collect the key that one of the As (I'm guessing Mona) dropped while terrorizing Hanna. It was awful to watch her fall apart, but it seemed a rather pleasing sight to Mona.

I'm sure that Mona had something to do with Spencer finding out about Toby. At the beginning of the episode, she asked Toby if Spencer knows and commented on how good Spencer is at keeping secrets. She must have been the one to drop the key, knowing that somehow it would get back to Toby. Mona seems ready to punish the girls in any way possible.

Yet, Mona's not in charge. She is. But who is SHE?

Could it be Meredith? She seems unstable, but definitely not calculating enough to be in charge of the A-team. She wasn't very crafty about drugging Aria and searching the house for the diary pages. Was Meredith really concerned about Byron or was there something else she doesn't want the police to know?

Is Ali the mysterious puppet-master? Byron left her alive...with a very angry Melissa (more on that below). Hanna thought she saw the reflection of a blond girl with a red coat (Ali?) before walking in to the fake interview at Corin's. Aria is the final liar to have a very vivid vision of Ali in her bedroom. Are these Ali appearances just hallucinations or are the visions trying to tell them something?

Byron's confession to Aria convinced her that he wasn't responsible for Ali's disappearance, but who was? Puzzlingly, the night of her death, Byron saw Melissa walk out of the house and say to an unnamed person on the phone, "What do I have to do, call 911 to get your attention?" Who was she talking to?

So we have some new directions for the rest season. Spencer will be dealing with the Toby fallout, but let's hope she doesn't backslide into sleeping with him again as the promos for next week seem to suggest. We'll have to find a new suspect for Ali's murder. And figuring out who's behind the A-team should occupy more of the show's time.

Also, we have the pleasure of watching Caleb and Paige team up to take down Mona. Unfortunately for the liars, this means uncovering the dirt Mona has on all the girls. The plan makes sense; take away Mona's power over the girls is the only way to make them fess up to the cops about A's continued harassment. However, I feel like I can't really trust Paige. It was sweet of her to say that all her fear and anxiety is less about herself and more about Emily, but somehow it felt a little off to me.

Let's not forget that Paige was one of the few people Ali was afraid of.

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Shannon•January 24, 2013 04:20

I am personally a huge fan of Aria and Ezra. My DVR cuts the previews off so I didn't see the part where they may break up.I too think Toby dropped the key. I don't think that was a calculated move. I haven't read the books but from what I've heard, Allison has a twin sister and I think she might've been A in the books. Maybe that is where the show is leading to as well.I don't think Byron killed Allison although I do wonder if he would've really went to the cops.I also think it's odd that Aria's mom never went to check up on her after school. It was obvious that Meredith was up to no good but was it for a different agenda or was she really trying to protect Byron as she thinks he might've been guilty?I do have to agree with the stupidity in these girls. The mannequin scene seemed very stupid and unrealistic. The only saving grace in that was the key getting dropped. Besides the fact that we did not get to see any Ezra in this episode, I was glad that it revolved fairly heavily around Aria.

Charissa29•January 24, 2013 02:39

Okay, first I need to say that I watch this show under protest. I have a friend and we trade trashy shows (i.e. I will watch one she likes an she will watch one that I like etc.) This is her choice, but mine was Gossip Girl, so in many ways she got the worst of the deal. PLL drives me crazy and so I need to vent because I have to try to find good things to say about it to her. Does ANYONE remember that these are just teenagers? How is it possible for someone to develop such pathological, manipulative hatred for what are basically children! Sheesh! I won't EVEN comment on the scuzziness of the Ezra and Aria connection. The constant swirling of new plots, with more people drawn into the psychopathy is too much. I mean COME ON!!!!!!!

Poor Spencer. I hated to see her get her heart broken over Toby. I know she needed to find out the truth but I just hated to see her cry since she is usually the strong one. I really wish the show wouldn't have made Toby apart of the A team, Spencer and Toby was my fave couple.

Haha ...haven't been feeling this show .....I dumped it 2 seasons ago ..... Has it ever gone anywhere? hot chicks, but its a network channel , not Cinemax --so nothing going to happen there ...

uggh•January 23, 2013 17:58

I haven't been feeling this show since it came back on after the break. I don't know what it is but the plots feel forced. I think at this point in the show we need more answers before they can move forward. There are too many mysteries. I get that they can't reveal the real A but I am literally need crib sheets to watch anymore. Also, how many times do you have to be attacked before you realize you can't trust anyone? I don't like Paige. There is something weird about her, Emily deserves better.

@Nick, You're right. I totally forgot about the hole in his pocket. Thanks!

Cat•January 23, 2013 16:52

It wasn't Mona who attacked Hannah. Remember Spencer told Toby... I can fix this hole in your BLACK pants pocket.. And someone else posted about Mona being with her friends after school at the picnic table. Toby attacked Hannah... Meredith and Byron have a secret... I think when Byron said I'm going to the police right now to straighten this out... Was that fake? Part of me thinks yes!

tati•January 23, 2013 16:37

Even if all those people are part of the A Team--why? If this was going on when Allison was still alive (presuming she really is now dead), then what is the vendetta about? Did the five girls (including Allison) terrorize those others (or people close to them) so badly that this group wants to exact revenge? Meredith--psycho; Ezra--don't think he's on the A team, but I do think he's got something else going on. Glad to see him and Aria breaking up, FINALLY...maybe she'll move on to someone her own age, and he can fade from the show. Melissa and 911--I'd say she was calling Garrett--the cop. Would make sense with the 911 comment...

Spencer better tell the other girls, otherwise I am going to throw shit. Honestly, she jumps at all their lives about their people, but now they have a confirmed 'A' and she (probably) won't do anything about it? Hypocrite much.